Guilt
by SaraEsmerlin
Summary: Zetsu rarely engages in pointless activities, so he simply cannot understand why he continues to visit the underground prison of a certain immortal he doesn't even care about.


_'I shouldn't be here_.'

The same thought crossed his mind every time he came here. It was true though, he had no business here and there were other urgent matters to tend to. Yet still he found himself continuing to visit this place despite all this. He could imagine that Tobi wouldn't be very happy about it if he found out, but then again, maybe he already knew. After all, Zetsu didn't really have any reason to hide anything from Tobi. He allowed these thoughts to slip from his mind as he emerged from the solid ground into the darkness of the collapsed pit. The very same pit they abandoned Hidan in.

The pit was filled with heavy stones and dirt, the small rays of light that shone through some small holes higher up in the pit didn't reach this far. Zetsu knew the location of Hidan's torn body from earlier visits but waited until his eyes got used to the darkness before he let his head emerge fully from the massive stone that shielded Hidan's head from most of the dirt. It was a sad sight indeed. Most of the zealot's legs were intact, but his upper body was torn to shreds and scattered at the bottom of the pit. The smell of dirt and blood was so heavy in the air that someone with less common sense than Zetsu might have tried to touch it.

He was quiet today, seemingly sleeping, Zetsu noted thankfully. There had been days when he visited, hiding in the darkness, that Hidan had been screaming until his vocal chords gave out. There had been days when he whispered prayers to his god, days when he talked nonsense to himself and days when he cursed everyone in existence. Sometimes he even called for Kakuzu, sounding more desperate with each call.

It was the talking and calling that really bothered Zetsu, the white half of him wanted to answer while the black half found little reason to do so. After all, they weren't allowed to help him anyway so why bother? Tobi had decided that Hidan wasn't needed anymore, not with Kakuzu out of the picture. The remaining Akatsuki wouldn't be able to control the zealot without Kakuzu, especially not if he found out Tobi's true intentions. Perhaps they should thank the Nara kid since they wouldn't have to dispose of him themselves now. Not that it mattered anymore, the other members thought that Hidan was dead as well. Only Tobi and Zetsu himself knew the truth, that they had lied when they said that both of the so called "zombie combo" had died.

Zetsu risked getting closer to the zealot's head, carefully observing to make sure that his eyelids remained closed. He preferred to stay unnoticed in general but during these visits it was even more important to do so, especially since it was the loud and foulmouthed zealot he was dealing with. Hidan would give him hell if he noticed him.

It was hard to distinguish much in the darkness except the dark stains of dried blood that covered Hidan's jaw, but Zetsu thought that he looked almost peaceful in a way, **'****_As peaceful as one can get with a severed head, that is_****'**, his black half added. He also looked young, terribly young considering the fact that he was immortal and would probably spend the rest of his miserable existence down here since the only ones that knew that he was alive had decided to abandon him.

Zetsu shook his head slightly, he didn't really care since he held no personal attachment towards Hidan, but no one could deny that he was fascinating. The zealot wasn't odd at first glance, he actually looked fairly normal in comparison to most of the other Akatsuki members, but anyone that had seen him in battle knew better. The curse transformation was one thing, but what really was odd with the zealot was how his body functioned. Even in the thick darkness it was obvious to Zetsu that Hidan's scattered remains were anything but dead. His heartbeat was strong and his flesh smelled of life, as odd as that may sound, but Zetsu knew the difference.

A sudden twitch in Hidan's face made Zetsu slide back into the stone he emerged from, it was time to leave. He couldn't waste his time here when he had people to spy on and a war to prepare for. He threw a last glance at the zealot before fully sliding into the stone and continuing his travel. He still couldn't wrap his mind around why he even came here in the first place, there was no need to after confirming the outcome of the battle. Zetsu was by no means a sentimental and caring being, the loss of comrades was no personal loss for him but simply a loss of soldiers for Tobi's plan – which Hidan hadn't even been a part of from the beginning. The zealot had only been included because they needed Kakuzu, and Kakuzu needed a partner. He had played his part and was no longer relevant, he was disposable. If they freed him he would sooner or later become an obstacle, there was no way that he would agree to live in Tobi's new world. It was better that he was trapped here, even if it was terribly cruel. '_So_', a small voice in his mind whispered as he picked up his speed and headed for his destination, '_perhaps this is what they call guilt?_'


End file.
